SoundCloud DJ mixes no longer being taken down for copyright infringement [updated]

DJ mixes posted on SoundCloud will no longer be taken down for copyright infringement, says SoundCloud founder Eric Wahlforss.

In a recent interview with Groovemagazine, Wahlforss explained that the company has struck deals with the necessary licensing groups, including Germany’s GEMA, in order to keep mixes on the platform legally and “problem free.”

Since 2010, SoundCloud has used automated content identification to protect a creator’s copyright, which works by checking uploads against a database of tracks that some publishers and producers may have asked the company to block.

DJs could previously only post mixes if they had permission to use copyrighted material, leading to many having their content removed, and in some cases, their accounts terminated. The issue has affected artists at all levels. In June, Four Tet called the service a “a total slice of shit” after it removed a track he had uploaded because it contained “copyrighted content.”

Update, Dec. 15: SoundCloud will still honor takedown requests by original copyright holders.

From their blog: “It’s important to note takedowns are at the request of creators. While the agreements we have in place across the industry have greatly lessened the likelihood of takedowns, as a creator driven platform, we respect all creators, and therefore we respect the rights of all creators who request to have their content removed.”